Method and apparatus for handling materials



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METHOD AND APPARATUS FQR HANDLING MATERIALS Filed Jan. 51, 3.955 5Sheets-Sheet l IINVIENTOR E m mm. P H Q METHOD AND APPARATUS FORHANDLING MATERIALS Filed Jan. 51,, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY A E7",, m H. PRHDE METHOD AND APPARATUS FDR HANDLING MATERIALS Filed. Jan.51,, 1,935 5 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Apr. 7, 1 936 UNITED srArss PATENTOFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MATERIALS George H. Pride, NewYork, Y. Application January 31, 1935, Serial No. 4,255

26 Claims. (Cl. 214-65) This invention relates to improvements inapperatus for handling materials, and, although it may be adapted forthe handling of a wide variety of materials, it is of particular utilityas applied h to the handling of stacked loads.

Materials of the character referred to, such, for example, as stacks ofpaper, cardboard, or sheet metal, have commonly been handled in the pastby being placed upon conventional carrying W skids at the productionsource and being transported from place to place on such skids until thematerial reached a destination where it was to be used in manufacture,sold, or otherwise disposed of. The skids were thereupon ordinarily dis-W carded.

The skids referred to comprise comparatively heavy, rigid platforms ofsumcient strength to support a load, and have cross members on theirunder sides which are adapted to rest on a' floor.

lid These cross members keep the platform spaced from the floor, thusaffording a space into which a lifting element of a conventionallift-truck may be placed and the skid and load lifted from the door.

t5 These skids, which are ordinarily used once and then discarded, areusually constructed of wood and are quite expensive. In some instancesattempts have been made to minimize this expense by repeated use of theskids, but this practice is fill about as objectionable as the evilitself, as other enpenses are encountered in keeping records of thewhereabouts of the skids and in transporting them back to their place oforigin.

in my United States patent, No. 1,973,098,

35 granted September ll, 19%, l disclosed an invention of apparatus forhandling materials which eliminates the use of such skids, saidapparatus consisting chiefly of an inexpensive, flexible, loadsupporting platen tensioned in a suitable frame which is adapted to bemoved from one place to another with the load. The platen y be disconnected from the frame at u i and as both the shippers and consigneeshave or fee, it is only necessary that the inexpensive platen 45accompany the load in transit.

The present invention, generally speaking, has for its chief object animprovement in the device described in such patent whereby the devicesmay be better manipulated when the materials are be- 50 ing handled insmall spaces or being placed. in or removed from a small corner of aroom or freight car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frame of the generalcharacter referred to which at y be moved horizontally about the load ofmaterial into position, as distinguished from lowering the frame intoposition around the load.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frame of the generalcharacter referred to which may be operated entirely from one endthereof, 5 thus permitting its operation in very small spaces orcorners.

A further object of the invention is to provide a frame of the generalcharacter referred to which may be operated to rapidly pick up a loadfrom W the floor and rapidly release the load after it has been moved.

A still further object of the invention is "to provide a frame of thegeneral character referred to, which, by holding the platen thereinunder a. w uniform tension, will handle heavier loads than could behandled if the tension were not uniform.

Other objects will become apparent upon a reading of the followingspecification.

I achieve these objects by providing a mobile til U-shaped frame which ybe rolled, with the open end foremost, to a position substantiallysurrounding a load. The frame has means for attaching it under uniformtension to a platen which is underneath the load and also means for 2dlifting the load off the floor. The entire operation of the frame may behandled from its closed end, thereby permitting the use of the frameeven in the smallest corners encountered in practice.

My present invention is defined in the appended 30 claims, d ishereinafter described in detail. In this description reference is madeto the accompa drawings, in which,-

Figure l is a plan view of the apparatus, the position of a load beingindicated in broken lines. 3%

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away, o fdone of the twosubstantially similar opposite s1 es.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus as viewed from m right ofFig. i, this end of the it apparatus being hereinafter referred to asthe open end. a

Fig. i is an enlarged vertical cross-section on the line in Fig. 1,portions of the remote end of the apparatus being omitted for clearness.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical cross-section of one of the sides of theapparatus on line t--% of Fig. l.

Fig. e is an end elevation, partly broken away; m as viewed from theleft of Fig. l, but showing modifications in several parts of theapparatus, this end of the apparatus being hereinafter referred to asthe operating or closed end.

Fig. l is an elevation of one of the sides, further up Fig. 11 is anelevation of one of the two substantially similar opposite sidesillustrated in Fig. 2, as viewed from within the frame.

The platen Referring to Fig. 1, the apparatus comprises aload-supporting platen A, which is preferably flexible, secured in ahorizontal position within a mobile and adjustable conveying frame B.The form of the platen A which is preferred, is shown in detail in Fig.10, and comprises a series of similar and substantially parallel, thin,flexible steel strips II, of high tensile strength, held together as aunitary structure by being cemented or otherwise secured between matsI2, i2, which may be of cardboard or other thin material havingsufficient strength to maintain the platen as a unit until it has beenplaced into service. The end portions of the strips I I are turnedupwardly at right angles to the main portion of the platen, forming aseries of upturned tabs I3 on each side of the platen. In the platen asthus assembled the steel strips II all lie in the same horizontal plane,while the tabs I3 on either side of the platen are all in the samevertical plane and the planes of the tabs on the two sides of the platenare substantially parallel. Ordinarily the strips I I may be ofcommercial steel strip or hoop iron such as is commonly used for balingpurposes. The precise characteristics of the steel strips depend, ofcourse, on the size and weight of the load, the prime considerationbeing that they shall have sufficient tensile strength to carry the loadwhen tensioned in the frame.

The tabs I3 of the platen are so disposed that when the frame is movedinto position around the base of the load and then lowered over the saidtabs, they will extend upwardly between clamping members on the frame inposition to be secured thereto when the clamping members are closed.

Other forms of platen may be employed, and particularly those which haveupwardly-extending members corresponding to the tabs I3, which areadapted for connection to the frame.

The frame The main body of the conveying frame B is substantiallyU-shaped and consists of two similar horizontal side members II,preferably of channel iron, connected at corresponding ends by anadjustable end section I5 extending across the closed end of the frame.This end section I5 is rigidly secured to the side members by bolts I6which extend through web I4 of the side member and are threaded into theend section I5. A reinforcing strap I! may be used to reinforce the webI4 at this point, as shown in Fig. 2.

The frame B is made mobile by being mounted on non-swiveling casters I8on the side members I4 at the open end of the frame and on swivelingcasters I8 on the adjustable end section I5 at the closed end of theframe.

The frame elevating means The mounting of these casters is such that themain body of the frame may be raised or lowered at will to pick up orrelease a load. These casters are secured to the lower ends of fourvertical screw lifting elements I9 which extend through suitablevertical bores in brackets 20, which are bolted or otherwise rigidlysecured to the main body of the conveying frame B.

These screw lifting elements I9 are adapted to move vertically withinthe brackets 20, but are keyed against rotation therein by keys 2| inthe brackets, which keys slide in vertical grooves 22 in the screwlifting elements. The vertical movement of the screw lifting elements I9 in the brackets 20, and the consequent raising or lowering of theframe, is governed by the rotation of internally threaded sprocketwheels 23 mounted within the brackets and being rotatable on thevertical screw lifting elements. Although free to be rotated as desired,the sprocket wheels 23 are held against vertical movement relative tothe brackets 20 by being disposed between and restricted by the parallelfaces of slots 24 in said brackets. Thus the rotation of the sprocketwheels 23 causes vertical motion of the vertical screw lifting elementsI9 in the brackets 20, and the frame in consequence is raised or loweredas desired.

The operation of these sprocket wheels 23 for controlling the height ofthe frame is accomplished by a sprocket chain transmission arrangementwhich may be operated from the closed or operating end of the frame.Bevel ring gears 26 are mounted on cross shafts 33 at each corner of theoperating end of the frame to mesh with and drive bevel pinions 21together with chain driving sprocket wheels 28, the said pinions andsprocket wheels on each side of the frame being keyed to a commonvertical spindle 29, as best shown in Fig. 2. The rotation of the chaindriv-, ing sprocket wheels is transmitted to the driven sprocket wheels23 by sprocket chains 30 running "therebetween. These chains may beenclosed and supported, if desired, within sheet metal GOV- ers 3Imounted on the frame.

In the structure illustrated, the bevel ring gears 26 on each side ofthe frame are arranged to be independently operated, reversible ratchetwrenches 25 being provided to turn the cross shafts 33 and the bevelring gears which rotate therewith. These ratchet wrenches may be quick-1y adjusted to turn the bevel ring gears in either direction toaccomplish the raising or lowering of the frame. Obviously the ringgears may be power-driven, if desired. They may also be arranged to beoperated in unison by mounting them on a common cross shaft 32, as shownin Fig. 6, thus increasing the speed of operation of the apparatus andkeeping the frame in a horizontal position at all times. It will be seenthat under any of the arrangements referred to, the raising or loweringof the frame may be accomplished by an operator standing at the closedend of the frame.

The clamping mechanism ill bers onveach side of the frame which may besimultaneously operated and which will simultaneously grip the tabs l3.As best shown in Figs. 4 and 11, there is provided an elongated clampingbar 34 disposed along the lowermost portion of the inner side of theside member l4. This clamping bar is slidably mounted on guide pinsiliand is adapted to be moved into intimate contact with the adjacentinnersuriaoe of said side, member, the adjacent surfaces 36 andjl of theclamping bar and the side member, respectively, serving as cheeksbetween which the tabs I3 of the platen are engaged. These cheeks, asshown in Figs. 4 and 5, are preferably provided with complementaloii'set portions 38' and 31' alongtheir length in order to somewhatdeform the tabs l3 to afford a more secure gripping action. From theforegoing it will be seen that the side members I4 and the clamping bars34 form on each side of the frame through holes in the web is of theside members,

thence through nuts 39 which are adapted to be rotated either by spurgearing or by a worm, as will be hereinafter explained. The nuts it areiixed against lateral movement by being held between the web H of theside member and the upturned flange 40 of the angle bracket it which isfixed to the lower flange oi the channel torming the side member H, asbest shown in Figs. t and 5. Thus the rotation oi the nuts it causes theclamping bars 34 to move to or trom a clamplng position. V

A number of these clamping screws are provided on each side oi theframein order to exert powerful clamping pressure along the entirelength of the clamping bar 34 and also to unitormly receive the strainsto which the clamping bar is subjected when carrying heavy loads.

Means are provided for simultaneously operating allthe nuts 39 from theclosed end of the apparatus to permit the apparatus to be used in verylimited spaces. This may be accomplished by rack-operated spur gearing,as she in Figs. l to s, inclusive, and Fig. ll, or by a worm gear andworm wheel arrangement, as shown in Figs. 6 to t, inclusive.

the rack arrangement tor operating the clamping mechanism in the spurgear arrangement for operating the clamping screws, the periphery of thenut is provided with spur teeth 3i. For eachoi the nuts it there isprovided a driving sptu' gear til meshing with and driving the nut til.e spur gear ill is'heyed to a short rotatable shalt it which enteritisinwardly through the web it of the side member to the inner end oilwhich shaft is lreyed a driven pinion M. elongated raclr it, having spurteeth ti on its under side, meshes with the pinions 4d and is adapted toreciprocate horizontally along the inner side of the side member it.rack is held in engagement with the pinions M by brackets 46, which arebolted or otherwise secured to the inner side oi the side member it. ehorizontal movement oi the reels, to bring the aosassa stated direction.This rack, as shown in Figs. 2

and 11, extends to the closed or operating end of the frame. The rack isreciprocated by a rackdriving pinion 48 having teeth 48' engaging anddriving a short rack 49 fixed to or integrally formed as a part of thetop of the rack at the end thereof, which is at the operating end of theframe. The rack-driving pinion 48 is keyed to a short horizontal spindle50 which'extends to the outer side of the frame and is adapted to beturned by a reversible ratchet wrench 5|, which wrench may be operatedby a person standing at the closed end of the frame. Separate ratchetwrenches may be provided for use at each side of the frame, or a singleratchet wrench may serve to separately operate the clamping mechanism oneither side of the frame. Although I have disclosed means forindependently operating the clamping mechanism on each side of the frameby the use of a ratchet wrench, it is obvious that the rack-drivingpinions AB on each side of the frame might be keyed to a common crossshaft, whereby the clamping members on both sides oi the trame can besimultaneously operated. lit is also clear that this clamping mechanismmight be motor-driven, it so desired.

The worm-gear arrangement for operating the clamping mechanismrangement, mounting and functioning of the clam bar it and the screwmeans for actuating it. In the modification of Figs. 6 to 8, however,rack and pinion arrangement hereinbefore described is not usedbut isreplaced by a worm gear and worm wheel a i a; garment which serves tooperate clamping screw nuts to move the clamping bar to and from aclamping position. It will be seen by referring to Figs. 6 and t thatthe entire clamp-operating mecha-. nism is carried on the outer side ofthe r so: thus clearing the inner side of all apparatus except theclamping bar and its mounting.

elongated worm gear having a plurality of screw portions ill is mountedon the outer side at the side member it of the fe, suitable thrustmatings being provided to receive endwisc thrusts of the worm gear andto r end play therein. The worm gear is so mounted that the screwportions iii engage and drive worm wheels lit which are internalhrthreaded to rotate on the clamping screws ti, the inner ends of which,as hereinbetore explained, are welded or otherwise non-rotatably fixedto the clamping bar it. The worm wheels ltll are fixed against lateralmovement and therefore the rotation oi the worm gear and the resultingrotation of the worm wheels causes the clamplng screws it to carry theoping bar it to or from a clamping position.

lllie are provided for driving the worm gear ill from the closed oroperating end of the frame.

On the worm gear at the said end. of the frame is keyed a gear wheel I44which maybe driven by a motor or may be manually'rotated, for whichlatter purpose a handle I45 is provided thereon. In manual operation theclamping bar 34 is brought to a closed position by the direct manualoperation of the gear wheel I44. As such means'alone may not serve todistort and firmly bind the tabs I3 of the platen between thecomplementally shaped cheeks of the clamping members, a reduction gearI48 is mounted on the frame in position to mesh with the gear wheel I44.A reversible ratchet wrench I5I is utilized to actuate the reductiongear I48. It may be selectively adjusted to rotate said reduction gearin either direction to clamp or unclamp the platen and it may also beadjusted to permit the reduction gear I48 to rotate freely when the gearwheel I44 is directly manipulated.

Thus the clamping bar 34 may be initially moved to what might be termedan incomplete clamping position by the direct rotation of the gear wheelI44, and then the reduction gear I48 operated by the wrench I5I may beused to accomplish the extreme tightening of the clamping members into acomplete clamping position whereby the platen may be firmly clamped tothe frame to carry its allotted load.

The clamp-operating mechanism in this modi fication is duplicated oneach side of the frame and the said mechanisms on both sides of theframe may be connected 'to work in unison. This clamp-operatingmechanism may be operated manually or it may be motor driven. Also, thewrench I 5| may be arranged to directly operate the gear wheel I44,eliminating the reduction gear I48.

It will be seen that the clamping mechanism hereinbefore described hasthe advantage of being entirely operable from the closed or operatingend of the apparatus and also that all the upturned tabs l3 along oneside of the platen are simultaneously gripped by a single set ofclamping members.

Uniform tensioning of the platen There is, however, another veryimportant advantage derived from this clamping arrangement. It is wellknown that any load-carrying element is most efficient when the weightof the load is uniformly distributed over its sustaining surface. Thus atensioned platen of the character described herein will carry a capacityload when the steel strips II are under substantially uniform tensionsrelative to each other and each strip carrying its proportionate shareof the load. All other factors being equal, the same platen will fail tosupport the same capacity load if the several strips I I are underdifferent relative tensions. In the latter case the strips undergreatest tension will be subjected to substantially more than theirproportionate share of the load, and upon their capacity being exceededwill break, thus lowering the remaining total capacity of the platenbelow the weight to be carried and rendering the platen useless for itsintended purpose.

The clamping arrangement disclosed herein accomplishes substantiallyuniform tensioning of the platen and thus enables it to carry capacityloads if desired. Figure 6 shows the frame in an elevated position, thetabs I3 of the platen extending vertically upward between and clear ofthe side I 4'of the frame which serves as an outer clamping member andthe clamping bar 34.. When the frame is lowered to the floor the tabs I3are still clear of the clamping m mbers and as the clamping bar 34 ismoved outwardly toward the fixed side member l4 of the frame, the tabsI3 are first held in a loose engagement between the clamping members andsuch engagement is progressively tightened with the outward movement ofthe clamping bar 34. When the said clamping bar reaches the heel of thetabs I 3, said tabs to some extent resist the further movement of theclamping bar. At this point the tabs are not yet securely gripped andthe possibleslippage of the several tabs within Adjustment of the sizeof the frame Provision is made for adjusting the width of the frame topermit the handling of loads of different sizes. As best seen in Fig. 6,the closed end of the frame consists chiefly of an inner telescopingmember 52 operating within outer telescoping members 53, the outer endsof which are secured to the horizontal side members I4 of the frame.

In order to adjust the width of the frame by causing the telescopingmembers to move one within the other, a horizontal adjusting screw 54 isprovided, the threads on each half of which run in opposite directions.This adjusting screw is threaded into blocks 55 which are mounted on theouter telescoping members 53. It will be seen that when the adjustingscrew 54 is rotated in one direction the end of the frame will contractand when it is operated in the other direction the end of the frame willexpand.

A bevel pinion and ring gear arrangement is provided for rotating thehorizontal screw 54 to accomplish the adjustment of the width of theframe. A bevel ring gear 56 is mounted near the center of the adjustingscrew 54 to rotate therewith and is driven by a bevel pinion 51 mountedon a block 58. The adjusting screw 54 passes through the upper portionof the block 58 and the inner telescoping member 52 passes through thelower portion of the block 58 whereby the said block is fixed againstrotative movement. The block 58 is held against horizontal movementalong the adjusting screw 54, being located between the bevel ring gear55 and a collar 59, both of which are secured to the adjusting screw asshown.

The upper portion of the bevel pinion 51 is formed to receive a wrenchto be used in adjusting the width of the frame. While means are providedfor adjusting the width of the frame, it should be observed that inactual practice a frame might be set to carry loads of a certain sizewhich would be standard in that plant or industry, and would seldom, ifever, thereafter require further adjustment.

The open end of the frame, as best shown in Fig. 4, is provided with across-bar 60 hinged as at 6 I, to one side of the frame in such a mannerthat the bar may swing in a vertical plane between a, vertical positionas indicated in broken lines and a horizontal position in which itextends to the other side of the frame. In this latter position it mayassume a part of the stress imposed npon the frame when a load is beingcarried. As shown in Fig. 1, this cross-bar may be provided with asleeve Ill within which the two ends of the said cross-bar telescope andmay be adjusted to various desired lengths by pins II which may beinserted in registering holes in both the sleeve and the ends of thecross-bar. To secure a finer adjustment of the length of the cross-bar60, one portion of the bar may be threaded into the sleeve 10 and lockedin position by a lock nut, as shown at 12. Thus the length of thecross-bar may be adjusted to conform with the width of the frame.

While the frame is elevated from the floor and being moved to itsposition about the load, the cross-bar 60 must be held ina verticalposition and it should be released when the frame is in place about theload and has been lowered to the floor, so that it will fall intoposition across the open end of the frame. A rocker arm t2 is pivoted toand extends through the web Id of the horizontal side member. At theinner end of the rocker arm is a beveled lug 63 which engages a lug 64on the cross-bar to hold the latter in a vertical position. This bar maybe released by the rocking of the rocker arm, which is automaticallyaccomplished when the frame is lowered to the floor by a verticalplunger 65 pivotally connected to the outer end of the rocker arm tt.This plunger passes through a guide tt and a hole in the bottom flangeof the side member of the frame. A spiral compression spring t'l isdisposed around the plunger between the guide lit and a washer tt whichis fixed on the plunger near the lower end thereof. When the frame is inan elevated position with respect to the floor the rocker arm is in asubstantially horizontal position, and the lugs t3 and tt are inengagement whereby the cross-bar tt is held in a vertical position. Whenthe frame is lowered to the floor after it has been properly placedabout the load, the lower end of the plunger til contacts with the floorand is pressed upwardly, thus tilting the rocker arm tf and breaking theengagement of the lugs t3 nd tt, whereby the crossbar tt is permitted tofall into position across the open end of the frame. A cord or chain tilextends to the operating end of the frame to permit the cross-bar lit toagain be raised to a vertical position.

Platen aligning device lit is appreciated that the upturned tabs it ofthe platen may get out of alignment after a load has been placed into acorner of a storeroom or vehicle and that such a tab may not be properlygripped between the clamping members of the frame when at a later timeit may be desired to move the load to another position. Experience alsoshows that after a load has once been carried on the platen and releasedfrom the frame the tabs it may not stand in a perfectly verticalposition. This may be caused by a slight bend being imposw upon theplaten along the lower side edges of the load.

I provide a device to be used in conjunction with a carrying frame forthe purpose of aligning the tabs it when it is desired to again pick upthe load and move it to another place. A plan of this device is shown inFig. 9, and it is shown in position in side elevation in Fig. 2, and inend elevation in Fig. 3, in both of which figures the frame is shownelevatedfrom the floor preliminary to being lowered into a positionwhere the clamping bars 34 may be closed upon the tabs it of the platen.This device comprises two elongated fingers 13 which are approximatelyas long as the side of the frame and are loosely hinged together attheir ends and adapted to swing horizontally with respect to each other.As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the arms of this device have a verticalthickness which is somewhat less than the height of the tabs 13. Thelower edges of the free ends of this device are beveled, and rollers 14are provided which are set into the arms and are adapted to permit thedevice to be moved easily along the floor and over thehorizontally-extending portions ll of the platen.

One of the arms is adapted to pass over the said portions ill in aposition between the tabs I3 of the platen and the side of the load, andthe other arm is adapted to pass along the outer sides of the said tabsi3. It will be apparent that this device can readily be moved into placefrom the side or end of the load to which access may be had. After thispositioning device is set in place with the upwardly-extending tabs itof the platen extending between the arms thereof the mobile frame isthen moved into position about the load, the positioning device servingas a bufier along which the wheels of the casters it may be guided whilethe frame is being moved into position. After the frame has been movedinto position the upper ends of the tabs it of the platen will extendbetween the clamping cheeks tt' and ti and the positioning device maythen be withdrawn from the operating end of the frame and the framelowered into clamping position.

It will be obvious that if it is desired to have the elevating mechanismon both sides of the frame operate in unison and/or the clampingmechanisms on both sides of the frame Work in unison, the cross membersserving tolink such mechanisms together may be splined mem bers similarto the cross shaft t2 shown in Fig. t, whereby the unity of operationmay be maintained when the frame is adjusted at any desired width.

Mode of operation It will be seen that the entire operation of theapparatus may be accomplished by an operator at the closed or operatingend thereof. Assuming, for the purpose of illustration, a rather extremeset of circumstances, it might be desired to move a stacked load ofsheet metal from a confined corner of a storage room to a corner of arailroad freight car.

Before the material is stacked in the corner of the storage room, theplaten A, of a suitable size, is placed on the floor and the materialthen placed upon it. The devices for positioning the tabs it of theplaten are rolled, open ends first, along each side of the load with onearm between the platen tabs and the load and the other arm outside ofthe platen tabs. The tops of the platen tabs will extend above thepositioning devices.

The mobile frame B is then raised or lowered so that the sides of theframe will just clear the tops of the positioning devices, this beingdone by manipulating the ratchet wrenches it. The frame is then rolled,open end first, into a position adjacent the end of the load and thewidth of the frame adjusted by a suitable rotation of the bevel pinionti, a corresponding adjustment being made in the length of the crossbartil bridging the open end of the frame. The said cross-bar is thenraised and held in a vertical position by the coacting lugs t3 and 6tand the frame is then moved into position about the load, the outer armsof the positioning devices serving as buffers for and being pressedlaterally into an aligning position by the casters I8 on the frame.

The positioning devices are then withdrawn from under the frame as theupturned tabs l3 of the platen are, at this stage, in position leetweenthe clamping members of the frame. The frame is then lowered to thefloor and as the lugs 63 and 64 have been disengaged by the contact ofthe plunger 65 with the floor, the crossbar 60 falls into positionacross the open end of the frame.

The clamping bars 34 are then moved into clamping engagement with theside members I4 of the frame by the manipulation either of the ratchetwrenches 5| of the first modification or the spur gear I44 of the secondmodification as hereinbefore explained.

The frame with the platen and load is then elevated from the floor andthe apparatus with its load is rolled to the corner of the freight carwhere the load is to be placed. The load is then lowered to the floor ofthe car, the clamping members opened and the frame, free of the load,elevated clear of the upturned tabs of the platen. The cross-bar 60 isthen raised to a vertical position by pulling the chain 69 and the framethereupon rolled from its position about the load.

When the load reaches its destination, the consignee, having a similarframe, can readily unload the material and move it from place to placeas desired.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to theparticular constructions described herein and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. Obviously the apparatus is not limited to aU-shaped frame, as many of the features hereinbefore described might beadvantageously used in complete frames which might be lowered orotherwise placed in position about a load. The apparatus and the severalparts thereof may be variously modified without departing from thespirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for handling materials, comprising a platen, a frameadapted to be placed substantially around a load and means for fasteningthe platen to the frame, said fastening means comprising clampingmembers on opposite sides of the frame adapted to uniformly engage thecorresponding opposite sides of the platen along substantially itsentire length, and means for moving the clamping members outwardly intoclamping relationship with the platen, the said fastening means beingadapted to yieldingly engage the platen during the period of themovement of the clamping members into clamping relationship, whereby toestablish a substantially uniform tension throughout the platen.

2. In the combination of apparatus for handling materials, comprising aplaten, a frame adapted to be placed substantially around a load, andclamping members carried by the frame for clamping a side of the platento the corresponding side of the frame, screw means and operatingmechanism therefor for uniformly moving said clamping members intoclamping relationship, the screw-operating mechanism comprising a memberoperably engaging a plurality of such screw means to simultaneouslyoperate such plurality of screw means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, in which the screw-operatingmechanism comprises a rack and a pinion driven thereby, the pinion beingadapted to rotate the screw means whereby to move the clamping membersinto clamping relationship.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, in which the screw-operatingmechanism comprises a worm gear and a worm wheel driven thereby, theworm wheel being adapted to coact with the screw means whereby to movethe clamping.

members into clamping relationship.

5. Apparatus for handling materials comprising a platen, a frame adaptedto be placed substantially around a load, and means for fastening theplaten to the frame under tension, said means comprising a bent portionof the platen near the outer edge thereof, and a clamping member adaptedto engage the said bent portion while the clamping member is in an openposition, said clamping member having its clamping cheek disposedangularly to the direction of the tension to be imposed upon the platenand being movable outwardly to a clamping position, the bent portion ofthe platen and the said angular positioning of the clamping cheekaffording a restraint against slippage of the platen relatively to theclamping member while the latter is being moved outwardly to a clampingposition.

6. Apparatus for handling materials, comprising a platen, a frameadapted to be placed substantially around a load, and means forfastening the platen to the frame under substantially uniform tension,said means comprising outwardly movable clamping means adapted toyieldingly and uniformly engage a plurality of portions of the platenand to impose a substantially uniform degree of tension on such portionsof the platen relatively to each other while the clamping means aremoving from an open to a closed position.

7. Apparatus for handling materials, comprising a platen, a frameadapted to be placed substantially around a load, and means forfastening the platen to the frame under substantially uniform tension,said means comprising a plurality of similar outwardly-extending bentportions of the platen, a pair of clamping members adapted to uniformlyengage the said bent portions, one of said clamping members being fixedrelative to the load, the other clamping member being movable outwardlytoward the said fixed member to bring the two into clamping engagement,said portions of the platen being yieldingly held adjacent the bendstherein between said clamping members in a uniform and progressivelytightening grip while the movable clamping member is being movedoutwardly to its clamping position, whereby all slack is eliminated fromthe platen and a uniform tension established therein.

8. Apparatus for handling materials, comprising a platen, and a U-shapedframe having two substantially parallel sides, a closed end and an openend, said frame being adapted to be horizontally moved to a positionextending substantially around a load, the parallel sides of the platenand the corresponding parallel sides of the frame having coacting meansfor fastening the platen to the frame under tension.

9. Apparatus for handling materials, comprising a U-shaped frame adaptedto be horizontally moved to a position extending substantially around aload, said frame having a cross-member hinged to one of the sides of theframe at the open end thereof and adapted to bridge the open end of theframe, and means for operating aosasa said cross-member from the closedend of the 'i'rame.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, in which the cross-member is adaptedto move by gravity to a bridging position when the frame is lowered tothe floor.

11. Apparatus according to claifn 9, in whicha latch device on the frameis adapted to hold the cross-member in a substantially vertical positionwhile the frame is in an elevated position and to automatically releasesaid cross-member and permit it to move to a bridging position when theframe is lowered.

12. In the combination of apparatus for handling materials, comprising aplaten, a frame, and clamping members carried by the frame for clampinga side of the platen to the corresponding side of the frame screw meansand operating mechanism therefor for moving the clamping members intoclamping relationship, the screwoperating mechanism comprising anelongated worm gear meshing with and adapted to drive a plurality ofworm wheels connected to the said screw means, the worm gear havingdriving gearing comprising 'a spur wheel and pinion, the

spur wheel being adapted to be rotated to directly drive the worm" gear,and the pinion being adapted to be rotated to drive the worm gearthrough the medium of the spur gear whereby to obtain a high clampingpressure between the clamping members.

13. A positioning device for aligning flexible upturned members in asubstantially single plane, said device comprising a pair of elongatedmembers hingedly connected at one end to permit lateral movement of saidmembers, said device being adapted to be opened and closed and to bemoved in a lengthwise direction to a position in which the members beingaligned will extend upwardly between said elongated members.

i l. Apparatus for handling materials comprising a platen for carrying aload and positioning means for holding a portion of the platen inposition to be gripped by a conveying apparatus, the platen having aportion extending outwardly and upwardly from the side of the load, andthe positioning means comprising an elongated member adapted to behorizontally moved into a position between the load and theupwardly-extending portion of the platen whereby to hold such portion inan upright position.

15. apparatus for handling materials, comprising a load-carrying platenhaving a plurality oi similar upturned portions spaced from a load to becarried and a frame having clamping members and being adapted to bemoved horizontally to a position extending substantially around the loadat a higher level than the ends of the said upturned portions, thencedownwardly to a po sitlon adjacent the base of the load; a positioningdevice for aligning the upturned portions of the platen with the saidclamping members, said device comprising a pair of elongated spacingmembers, adapted to engage the upturned portions oi the platentherebetween with the upper ends of such portions extending above thetop of such spacing members in substantial vertical alignment with theclamping members, one of the pair oi spacing members being disposablebetween a load and the upturned members of the platen and the otherspacing member being disposable along the outer sides oi the upturnedmembers, the pair or" spacing members coacting with the load and aportion of the frame whereby, when the frame is moved horizontally tourged together with the upturned portions of the platen held inalignment therebetween.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, in which the spacing members arehingedly connected at one end and have means at the opposite endsadapted to assist in horizontal movement of the pacing members to theirrespective positions about the upturned members.

17 In apparatus-of the character described, a platen clamping mechanismcomprising an outwardly movable clamping element adapted to yieldinglyengage a member to be clamped while said element is being moved towardits extreme outward clamping position, and means for moving said elementto such position.

18. In apparatus of the character described, a platen clamping mechanismcomprising an outwardly movable elongated clamping element adapted touniformly engage a platen at a plurality of points, and means forsimultaneously tightening the said element and moving it outwardly to anextreme outward position.

19. In apparatus of the character described, a mechanism for clamping aplaten in said apparatus under tension, said mechanism comprising a pairof elongated clamping members disposed along a side of said apparatusfor engaging a platen at a plurality of points and means for uniformlyoperating said clamping members, one or said members being movableoutwardly to a closed position, and the cheeks of said members beingangularly disposed relatively to the direction of the tension to beimposed upon the platen.

20. The method of fastening a. platen in a frame under tension whichcomprises securing the platen, along one side thereof to one side of theframe, imposing a bend along the opposite side portion of the platen,bringing said bent portion. into a substantially uniform yieldableengagement with an elongated clamping portion oi the correspondingopposite side of the frame, and moving said clamping portion outwardlyto its extreme outward tensionlng position, at the v same timeprogressively increasing the pressure present in the engagement of thebent portion of the platen and the clamping portion oi the frame,whereby to clamp the platen to the frame and tension it therein.

21. The method of fastening a platen in a irame under substantiallyuniform tension which comprises yieldably engaging opposite sideportions of the platen with outwardly movable clping members oncorresponding opposite sides of the trame, uniformly tightening saidclamping members until the said side portions oi the platen areunyieldingly held therebetween and uniformly moving said clampingmembers outwardly to an extreme tensioning position, the said tighteningof the clamping members and the movement outwardly of said clampingmembers being progressively efl'ected simultaneously or substantiallyso.

22. apparatus for handling materials comprising a platen and a trance,the latter having clamping means on opposite sides thereof for clamptheplaten to the i'rame under tension, said clamping means on one side ofthe frame comprising a listed elongated clamping member having itsclamping cheel: disposed on the inner side thereoi and angularly to thedirection or the tension to be imposed upon the platen and a movableelongated clamping member disposed substantially parallel to said fixedclamping memher and movable outwardly to a uniio clpposition about theload, the spacing members are till ing relationship with the said fixedmember, the platen having a main portion, and side portions adapted tobe engaged by said clamp ng means on corresponding sides of the frame,the dimension across the main portion of the platen between said sideportions being smaller than the distance between the fixed clampingmember on the one side of the frame and the engaged position of thecheeks of the clamping means on the other side of the frame, one of saidside portions 0! the platen being adapted to be uniformly engaged bysaid movable and fixed clamping members and having a bend therein and aportion extending upwardly from said bend between and substantiallyparallel to the cheeks of said clamping members, the angularity of thesaid clamping members and the uniformity of the c0- operationtherebetween along substantially their entire length being such thatwhile they are being tightened there exists a possibility of slippage ofthe platen therebetween and also a sufficient restraint against suchslippage to impose a substantially uniform tension on said platen.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, in which the angularly disposedclamping members and an upwardly extending portion of the platen areprovided on both corresponding sides of the frame and platenrespectively.

24. Apparatus according to claim 9, in which the width of the frame andthe length of the cross-member are adjustable to permit the bandling ofdifferent sized loads.

25. In apparatus of the character described, a frame having means onopposite sides thereof for fastening, a load supporting elementthereinto under tension, said means on one side comprising a fixed outerclamping member and an outwardly movable inner clamping member adaptedto coact therewith.

26. In apparatus of the character described, a frame having means onopposite sides thereof for fastening a load supporting element thereintounder tension, said means on one side comprising a fixed outer clampingmember and an outwardly movable inner clamping member adapted to enacttherewith, the checks of said clamping members being angularly disposedrelatively to the direction of movement of the movable clamping member.

GEORGE H. PRIDE.

